Two individuals have lost their lives, and a total of 17 people are now without a home following a fire that occurred in a Windsor apartment during the early hours of Sunday, as confirmed by fire authorities. The incident took place around 2 a.m. at Dorchester Apartments, according to Chris Kreibich, the acting chief of fire prevention at Windsor Fire and Rescue Services. Kreibich mentioned that there were three elderly women in the apartment during the fire.
Tragically, one of the women was declared deceased on-site, while another was rushed to the hospital in critical condition. Regrettably, fire officials received news on Tuesday that the second woman had succumbed to her injuries, as shared by Kreibich. The third woman received medical care at the hospital and was later discharged.
The investigation into the fire was led by the Ontario Fire Marshal’s Office, with the cause still undetermined, as stated by Kreibich, who clarified that foul play is not suspected. The fire originated in the living room of the unit, resulting in damage from heat, fire, and smoke to the seventh floor of the building, elevator destruction, and water and smoke infiltration on the sixth floor.
In light of the elevator damage, which will take a few days to repair, a City of Windsor representative noted that the elevators will be out of operation for a short period. The affected residents received immediate assistance and temporary accommodations from the Canadian Red Cross post-fire, according to a city spokesperson who communicated with CBC via email. Additional support services are being assessed by the City of Windsor Social Services staff to address any further needs of the displaced individuals.
